SHAPE America Sets the Standard for Health and Physical Education. Our National Standards for K-12 Physical Education serve as the foundation for well-designed physical education programs across the country.

SHAPE America's position statements, guidance documents and advocacy resources are useful tools for anyone advocating for effective health and physical education at the local, state and national level.

Unified Physical Education

Unified Physical Education provides a unique opportunity for students with and without disabilities to come together through ongoing educational and physical activities, using the power of Special Olympics.

The Unified Physical Education course is structured around SHAPE America’s National Standards and Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education. Additionally, the class supports the development of leadership skills for all students as well as the empowerment of all students to foster an inclusive class and school-wide environment.

How Does Unified Physical Education Work?

Unified PE concepts can be incorporated into an existing course curriculum or used to develop a new course. The includes options for integrating physical activity, fitness, sports, health, wellness, nutrition and student leadership into the class and broader school community. Teachers can pick and choose which items they would like to use from a “menu” of options.

As a first step, contact your state to determine how Unified Physical Education could be part of your school’s physical education curriculum.